Xbox Live Video Marketplace is Officially open

A little after 9 a.m. EST, Microsoft flipped the switch and the Xbox Live Video Marketplace was operational for only U.S. Xbox Live Members. Nothing like celebrating the Xbox 360's 1 year birthday on style.

Users can now download SD and HD versions of movies and TV shows directly to the HDD. To find the content, sign into live, go to Marketplace, Media and Entertainment. You will also find it directly on the Media blade (Video Marketplace).

A quick spin through the list revealed 48 movies rated from PG to R and 47 TV shows.

Pricing will vary by show and quality, but as of now, SD TV shows are 160 MS Points ($2), HD shows are 480 MS Points ($6). Standard definition new release movies are 320 MS Points ($4), Classic feature films in HD will be 360 MS Points ($4.50) and standard SD versions for 240 MS Points ($3). Once you purchase a classic film in HD, the SD version is free to download.

Redmond, Washington—With a robust library of 160 high-definition games expected by holiday, Xbox 360™, the video game and entertainment system from Microsoft Corp., will get even better today. On its one-year anniversary, Xbox 360 will digitally deliver an initial lineup of TV shows and movies to gamers in the U.S. via Xbox Live®, the online games and entertainment network from Microsoft.

As announced earlier this month, Xbox Live Marketplace will now provide gamers with easy access to hundreds of full-length TV shows for download to own and movies for download to rent from CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment with more content rolled out through Xbox Live Marketplace every week. Xbox 360 is the first gaming console to offer standard and high-definition TV shows and movies via digital distribution.

Xbox 360 Experience
Since its launch on November 22, 2005, Xbox 360 has gained impressive traction fast. Xbox 360 was the fastest console to reach five million sold, and six million Xbox 360 consoles had been sold by the end of September 2006. At least 10 million are expected to be sold by the end of this holiday season.

Expected to be available in 37 countries by holiday, Xbox 360 continues to retain record game and accessory attachment rates, according to NPD. With more than 4 million members and an expected six million by June 2007, Xbox Live continues its leadership as the first and most comprehensive online games and entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire Xbox 360 experience.

Xbox 360 is prepared to have a booming holiday season, with consoles readily available at retail along with a host of new accessories such as the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, Xbox Live Vision camera and Xbox 360 HD DVD Player, not to mention blockbuster games such as Gears of War® and Viva Piñata™.

"We're exactly where we wanted to be this holiday with Xbox 360 retail stock availability," said Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "With an incredible library of games, more than four million gamers playing online with Xbox Live, and a growing catalog of high-definition gaming and entertainment content, why would anyone wait in line when you can get a superior experience from Xbox 360 right now?"

Examples of the download-to-own TV shows and download-to-rent movies available on the network on November 22 include the following:

CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, NCIS, and Star Trek from CBS.
Chappelle’s Show, Drawn Together, and Emmy and Peabody award-winning South Park from COMEDY CENTRAL.
Pimp My Ride and Punk’d from MTV.
Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants from Nickelodeon.
Skyland and Invader Zim from Nicktoons Network.
Chinatown, Star Trek VII: Generations, Patriot Games, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, The Sum of All Fears, The Untouchables, and We Were Soldiers from Paramount Pictures.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Frisky Dingo, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, Sealab 2021, and The Venture Bros. from Turner Broadcasting.
Some of the most intense fights from Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Breaking Bonaduce and Hogan Knows Best from VH1.
Perfect Storm, Poseidon, The Shining, Three Kings, and V for Vendetta, as well as The Nine and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip along with the CW show Veronica Mars from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.
Using the Family Settings feature, parents and individuals can choose the video content that can be played on their family’s Xbox 360. With the availability of this new entertainment content, it's easy to set controls based on movie, TV, and video ratings, or you can entirely block explicit and unrated video content for yourself or your children.

Xbox 360 gamers in the U.S. can access Xbox Live Marketplace with a free Xbox Live Silver subscription or a paid Xbox Live Gold subscription and a broadband connection. Pricing is competitive and will vary based on format, media type and whether the content is a new release movie or a classic feature film.

Download Pricing
High-definition TV shows will be 240 Microsoft® Points per episode, and standard-definition TV shows will be 160 Microsoft Points per episode. New release movies in high definition will be 480 Microsoft Points, and standard-definition new release movies will be 320 Microsoft Points each. Classic feature films in high definition will be 360 Microsoft Points, and standard definition will be 240 Microsoft Points. After purchasing a high-definition TV show or movie, you can download the standard-definition version at no additional charge.

Microsoft Points can be purchased at retail or via Xbox Live. For example, gamers can get a 1,600 Microsoft Points card at retail for $19.99 (U.S.) or 1,000 Microsoft Points through Xbox Live for $12.50 (U.S.). More information about Xbox Live Marketplace is available at http://www.xbox.com/marketplaceentertainment.